Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 22 (IANS): Even though Kerala Health Minister Veena George accused the Centre of propagating false news that the government has stopped updating daily Covid figures, the state Covid dashboard was last updated on April 5 leading people to speculate whether there has been a spike in fresh infections.

George had said that they have been e-mailing the daily data on Covid to the Centre.

But the practise of regular daily updates given to the media, which was a feature ever since the pandemic began, is not happening.

According to the dashboard on April 5, there were 354 confirmed cases and 282 recoveries.

But a mobile laboratory technician in the state capital said on Friday that these days he tests about 40 people daily, of which 15 to 17 turn positive.

Even though Covid protocols have been practically lifted, masks continue to be used by all.

The first major event that the state witnessed after Covid protocols were lifted was the 23rd CPI-M Party Congress that was held from April 6-10 in Kannur. Massive crowds had assembled to attend the event and its around this time that the official dashboard had discontinued updating the Covid figures.

With educational institutions being closed for final examinations, one will have no means to know the virus trend unless the state updates its Covid dashboard.

Even the IT parks in the state are getting ready to welcome back their employees who have been working from home since the last week of March 2020.